A blast with the past
Middlesex/Somerset County Conference ‘Old-Timers’ night
creates connection with past State Delegates
■ BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
■ PHOTOS BY JIM CONNOLLY
How benevolent and how helpful would it be for any PBA
county conference to host a night each year when past State
Delegates – retired or promoted – could gather with current
members? And how much fun?
An event to let State Delegates know that their contributions
are not forgotten and their efforts were not in vain would look
very much like the Middlesex/Somerset County Conference
Old-Timers night held June 18 at the Raritan River Boat Club in
Woodbridge. Nearly 120 past delegates, current delegates and
members assembled for the seventh annual extravaganza that
generated all the revelry and emotion of a family reunion.
“It’s a night for old friends and old knowledge,” explains
Middlesex/Somerset County Chair John Granahan, the Man-
ville Local 236 State Delegate who now spearheads the event.
“We rekindle some friendships and pay homage to those who
served before us.”
The tribute began in 2012 when NJ State PBA President Pat
Colligan served as the county conference chair. He wanted to
offer an occasion when past delegates would be welcomed
back and connect with those who are carrying on their service
to the PBA.
It was originally known as “Past Delegates” night, perhaps as
a nod to those who have continued on the job. But it quickly
adopted the “Old-Timers” feel with a nod to the sage status that
many of the past State Delegates have achieved.
The concept of the event has been fairly simple to execute.
The night focuses on food and beverages. The Raritan Beach
Boat Club shucked some clams, peeled some shrimp and bar-
becued some hamburgers and hot dogs to complement the
open bar. Dunellen Local 146 State Delegate Joe Dudley pro-
cured the music of the band Hoi Polloi to pump up the fun.
“We usually go pretty late into the night,” Granahan adds.
“We talk about some PBA stuff, what’s going with the Locals and
what’s going on with the State PBA. And there’s a lot of catching
up – ‘what happened to so-and-so?’”
Kelly Polack, who retired as Middlesex County Prosecutor’s
Office Local 214 State Delegate in 2017, has experienced both
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sides of what Old-Timers night intends to achieve. When it first
began, she learned that her predecessors had become supervi-
sors and sought them out to extend the invitation.
Having retired during the past year, she felt the attraction the
event exudes.
“I found that I missed the brotherhood,” she confides. “It’s
nice that we have a night when we can all get together, remi-
nisce, catch up and not feel forgotten.”